Carpe Diem. This commonly used Latin phrase, translated to “Seize the day”, is something that my dad has said to me myriad times. I didn’t fully comprehend what it meant, or why he said it repetitively until I had gotten through all four years of high school. Not only did I learn how to do fundamental things throughout all my years of schooling such as read and write, but I also came to the conclusion that in order to be successful in life, one must take risks and go beyond their comfort zones.
Starting high school, for me, was extremely overwhelming and I had no idea what to do and whether or not to get involved. As a result of my apprehensions I chose not to do clubs or other activities because I was too afraid to do something new, something that would require tremendous effort. Reluctantly, I signed up for tennis at the end of freshman year and ended up making extremely close friends. However, when I tried out again the next year I was rejected. I hadn’t practiced at all, but was devastated that I hadn’t made the team. Shortly thereafter I was rejected from a few other organizations in my school. Again, I had felt an enormous sense of self-doubt and quickly allowed my old ways of sticking with the ordinary and refraining from challenging myself to take over.
Within the next year, a particular teacher of mine declared, “Each day we should do something that scares us”. This suggestion truly resonated with me, causing me to push myself to continue to take risks and put myself in situations that I knew would challenge me emotionally, mentally, and intellectually. One example of this took place during my senior year when I decided to try out for a musical. I had been too terrified to try out during previous years, yet decided that since it was my last year in school that I would seize the opportunity. The days leading up to the tryouts were tortuous, as anxiety completely overwhelmed me. However, after the play was over I felt an immense sense of accomplishment, as I knew I had overcome my fear of being on stage and I had temporarily gone out of my comfort zone. I had also been exposed to numerous people that I would typically not be around and therefore benefited tremendously by broadening my friendships.
It was this determination to take risks that ultimately lead me to conquer other fears as well. Prior to going scuba diving, I had been extremely terrified of sharks. I desperately wanted to try it, however, and was therefore able to get past my trepidation. I learned that I was stronger than I had previously believed and that if I truly desired something I could bring it to fruition.
Overall, I truly believe that taking risks is essential for personal growth and knowledge. During times that I was taking a risk, I learned the most about not only myself, but others as well in regards to how they handled challenges. The memories that remain most vividly within my mind from school are those involving a particular instance where I allowed myself to venture into the unknown. Lastly, in order to attain a sense of achievement it is crucial to get involved and “seize the day” as opposed to just sitting around and waiting for something to happen.
I tried to format this so that the paragraphs were indented, but it wouldn't save.
Carpe Diem. This commonly used Latin phrase, translated to “Seize the day”, is something that my dad has said to me myriad times. I didn’t fully comprehend what it meant, or why he said it repetitively until I had gotten through all four years of high school. Not only did I learn how to do fundamental things throughout all my years of schooling such as read and write, but I also came to the conclusion that in order to be successful in life, one must take risks and go beyond their comfort zones.
Starting high school, for me, was extremely overwhelming and I had no idea what to do and whether or not to get involved. As a result of my apprehensions I chose not to do clubs or other activities because I was too afraid to do something new, something that would require tremendous effort. Reluctantly, I signed up for tennis at the end of freshman year and ended up making extremely close friends. However, when I tried out again the next year I was rejected. I hadn’t practiced at all, but was devastated that I hadn’t made the team. Shortly thereafter I was rejected from a few other organizations in my school. Again, I had felt an enormous sense of self-doubt and quickly allowed my old ways of sticking with the ordinary and refraining from challenging myself to take over.
Within the next year, a particular teacher of mine declared, “Each day we should do something that scares us”. This suggestion truly resonated with me, causing me to push myself to continue to take risks and put myself in situations that I knew would challenge me emotionally, mentally, and intellectually. One example of this took place during my senior year when I decided to try out for a musical. I had been too terrified to try out during previous years, yet decided that since it was my last year in school that I would seize the opportunity. The days leading up to the tryouts were tortuous, as anxiety completely overwhelmed me. However, after the play was over I felt an immense sense of accomplishment, as I knew I had overcome my fear of being on stage and I had temporarily gone out of my comfort zone. I had also been exposed to numerous people that I would typically not be around and therefore benefited tremendously by broadening my friendships.
It was this determination to take risks that ultimately lead me to conquer other fears as well. Prior to going scuba diving, I had been extremely terrified of sharks. I desperately wanted to try it, however, and was therefore able to get past my trepidation. I learned that I was stronger than I had previously believed and that if I truly desired something I could bring it to fruition.
Overall, I truly believe that taking risks is essential for personal growth and knowledge. During times that I was taking a risk, I learned the most about not only myself, but others as well in regards to how they handled challenges. The memories that remain most vividly within my mind from school are those involving a particular instance where I allowed myself to venture into the unknown. Lastly, in order to attain a sense of achievement it is crucial to get involved and “seize the day” as opposed to just sitting around and waiting for something to happen.
I tried to format this so that the paragraphs were indented, but it wouldn't save.